What Have I Done??

Anabana · 06-19-2019, 02:38 PM

I was on vacation for a month and backed-up then shut down my computer just before I left.
So home again, and having purchased a few more ebooks, I pulled up calibre .. only to find it's completely empty; just as though I had just downloaded the program. I'm baffled. I had (iirc) something over 700 books there.

Looks like I'll have to start all over - I do (hopefully) still have all the books either in the library/cloud where I bought them -lots of kindles- or in my PDF folder and/or epub folder.
There is nothing on the back-up that isn't on my computer. Any ideas??

theducks · 06-19-2019, 03:46 PM

Was your library on a removable (USB) drive ? The letter may have changed. Calibre would revert to a default location (on C

Search all drives for Metadata.db
FWIW The small (file size)one is the current empty library.
Note the location (path) to any others.
Right-click the library Icon: create/switch: use existing: <navigate to that place you found>
Did you win?

Repeat for any others (usually only needed folk who have multiple Libraries)

NOTE: Use of libraries on NAS, Clouds could lead to corruption. Suspend sync while using Calibre to make ANY changes.

Anabana · 06-19-2019, 05:21 PM

I only ever had one library - and no, it wasn't on a usb drive, just the computer. The only thing I find on my backup is a calibre2 folder which appears to be a program update of Mar. 8, 2019 to 3.40.1. The only drives are the OS (WIN 10) and the backup drive (Seagate).
I'll keep playing around with it since, I apparently can't do more damage!

I do seem to still have all of my books available on the original sources.

I appreciate your help - at least I feel I'm eliminating the possibilities.

BetterRed · 06-19-2019, 05:41 PM

Did you search for metadata.db as previously suggested?

Also have a look in your Documents and Home folders for a sub-folder named Calibre Library.

How do you do maintain the backup drive?

BR

GlennD · 06-19-2019, 05:46 PM

How do you do backups? If you normally just do a manual file copy, it's possible you moved the files instead.

And if that's the case, or if there was a copy done, the files would all be in your backup drive and could be easily restored to C: and readded to Calibre.

Anabana · 06-19-2019, 07:37 PM

I did search for metadata.db, but no joy.

At first I thought maybe I had somehow over-ridden the Seagate backup, but there is nothing there except the folder with small files (a few kb each) that appear to be the last update that I did. And, even as old and forgetful as I am, I think I'd remember moving files manually. Of course, there may have been a glass of wine involved....
So could I somehow have done a mass-delete - and if so, where would deleted files go? They aren't in my recycle bin.
Thanks so much everyone - I truly do appreciate all the help.

GlennD · 06-19-2019, 07:44 PM

rather than searching for the metadata backup, can you search for the book files? The extension is going to depend on what book format you use - epub/pdf/mobi etc.

BetterRed · 06-20-2019, 06:16 AM

IIRC - if you do a mass delete in calibre, it asks if you want to really want to put the books in the Recycle Bin, there must be a threshold, something like a 100 books or more.

If you respond with No it does a hard delete and then they are gone for ever**. It takes calibre a longer to dump them in the bin because they are copied there (read and write) rather than moved (change location).

** You could recover fragments with a file system tool, but it would be a mess, if you can get them off your device or from source that would be 500% safer.

BR

BetterRed · 06-20-2019, 06:36 AM

Try to find the global.py file, this will probably find it - press Winkey+R. enter %appdata%\calibre, press Enter and an explorer window will open and you should find it there.

Open it in a text editor and look for library_path, you should see something like this:

Code:

# library path
# Path to directory in which your library of books is stored

library_path = u'D:\\Calibre\\Libraries\\Books'

D:\Calibre\Libraries\Books is the location of my most recently used library

BR

Anabana · 06-23-2019, 02:32 PM

I'm not ignoring responses - just had to be o-o-t for a few days. I've now searched thru all my folders - that went much faster than I expected. The AppData search did bring up a calibre folder which contained 8 folders (e.g. caches, conversions, fonts, etc) and 12 docs (customize, global, history, etc.) all small-a few kb's; No library!

I would think I'd totally uninstalled calibre, except it still has all the 'good' plugins. :^)

So I'm reminding myself that I'm dealing with Windows here (lol) and will just reconstruct my library. I still have access to all the Kindle books I've purchased and everything else is in other folders on my computer. There will be lots to convert (Kindles and PDFs) but I'll make sure to copy to a flash-drive this time, not just the Seagate hd backup.

As usual, whether it's my problem or someone else's, I never fail to learn from the MobileRead community - Thanks all!!

theducks · 06-23-2019, 03:17 PM

The C:\Users\<your-logon>\AppData\Roaming\calibre is the (USER) settings

The Library usually lives in you Username (logon) folder, along with 'Documents', "Downloads"...
C:\Users\<your-logon>\Calibre Library

Are you sure\your Library was not on some 'mounted' drive or partition?

BetterRed · 06-23-2019, 05:36 PM

@Anabana - read post #9, in there I told you how to find where your library was/is.

When you uninstall calibre it only uninstalls the software, leaving the %appdata%\calibre folder (which contains configuration settings, plugins etc) and library folders in place.

BR

06-19-2019, 02:38 PM	#1
Anabana Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 2735606 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire 7" & 10"; 11"(?)-12" Lenovo laptop	What Have I Done?? I was on vacation for a month and backed-up then shut down my computer just before I left. So home again, and having purchased a few more ebooks, I pulled up calibre .. only to find it's completely empty; just as though I had just downloaded the program. I'm baffled. I had (iirc) something over 700 books there. Looks like I'll have to start all over - I do (hopefully) still have all the books either in the library/cloud where I bought them -lots of kindles- or in my PDF folder and/or epub folder. There is nothing on the back-up that isn't on my computer. Any ideas??

06-20-2019, 06:16 AM	#8
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	IIRC - if you do a mass delete in calibre, it asks if you want to really want to put the books in the Recycle Bin, there must be a threshold, something like a 100 books or more. If you respond with No it does a hard delete and then they are gone for ever. It takes calibre a longer to dump them in the bin because they are copied there (read and write) rather than moved (change location). You could recover fragments with a file system tool, but it would be a mess, if you can get them off your device or from source that would be 500% safer. BR Last edited by BetterRed; 06-20-2019 at 06:20 AM.

06-19-2019, 03:46 PM	#2
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,055 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	Was your library on a removable (USB) drive ? The letter may have changed. Calibre would revert to a default location (on C Search all drives for Metadata.db FWIW The small (file size)one is the current empty library. Note the location (path) to any others. Right-click the library Icon: create/switch: use existing: <navigate to that place you found> Did you win? Repeat for any others (usually only needed folk who have multiple Libraries) NOTE: Use of libraries on NAS, Clouds could lead to corruption. Suspend sync while using Calibre to make ANY changes.

06-19-2019, 05:21 PM	#3
Anabana Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 2735606 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire 7" & 10"; 11"(?)-12" Lenovo laptop	I only ever had one library - and no, it wasn't on a usb drive, just the computer. The only thing I find on my backup is a calibre2 folder which appears to be a program update of Mar. 8, 2019 to 3.40.1. The only drives are the OS (WIN 10) and the backup drive (Seagate). I'll keep playing around with it since, I apparently can't do more damage! I do seem to still have all of my books available on the original sources. I appreciate your help - at least I feel I'm eliminating the possibilities.

06-19-2019, 05:41 PM	#4
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Did you search for metadata.db as previously suggested? Also have a look in your Documents and Home folders for a sub-folder named Calibre Library. How do you do maintain the backup drive? BR

06-19-2019, 05:46 PM	#5
GlennD Wizard Posts: 2,119 Karma: 17500000 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Pacific NW Device: sony PRS350, iPhone, iPad	How do you do backups? If you normally just do a manual file copy, it's possible you moved the files instead. And if that's the case, or if there was a copy done, the files would all be in your backup drive and could be easily restored to C: and readded to Calibre.

06-19-2019, 07:37 PM	#6
Anabana Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 2735606 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire 7" & 10"; 11"(?)-12" Lenovo laptop	I did search for metadata.db, but no joy. At first I thought maybe I had somehow over-ridden the Seagate backup, but there is nothing there except the folder with small files (a few kb each) that appear to be the last update that I did. And, even as old and forgetful as I am, I think I'd remember moving files manually. Of course, there may have been a glass of wine involved.... So could I somehow have done a mass-delete - and if so, where would deleted files go? They aren't in my recycle bin. Thanks so much everyone - I truly do appreciate all the help.

06-19-2019, 07:44 PM	#7
GlennD Wizard Posts: 2,119 Karma: 17500000 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: The Pacific NW Device: sony PRS350, iPhone, iPad	rather than searching for the metadata backup, can you search for the book files? The extension is going to depend on what book format you use - epub/pdf/mobi etc.

06-20-2019, 06:36 AM	#9
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	Try to find the global.py file, this will probably find it - press Winkey+R. enter %appdata%\calibre, press Enter and an explorer window will open and you should find it there. Open it in a text editor and look for library_path, you should see something like this: Code: # library path # Path to directory in which your library of books is stored library_path = u'D:\\Calibre\\Libraries\\Books' D:\Calibre\Libraries\Books is the location of my most recently used library BR

06-23-2019, 02:32 PM	#10
Anabana Zealot Posts: 109 Karma: 2735606 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Fire 7" & 10"; 11"(?)-12" Lenovo laptop	I'm not ignoring responses - just had to be o-o-t for a few days. I've now searched thru all my folders - that went much faster than I expected. The AppData search did bring up a calibre folder which contained 8 folders (e.g. caches, conversions, fonts, etc) and 12 docs (customize, global, history, etc.) all small-a few kb's; No library! I would think I'd totally uninstalled calibre, except it still has all the 'good' plugins. :^) So I'm reminding myself that I'm dealing with Windows here (lol) and will just reconstruct my library. I still have access to all the Kindle books I've purchased and everything else is in other folders on my computer. There will be lots to convert (Kindles and PDFs) but I'll make sure to copy to a flash-drive this time, not just the Seagate hd backup. As usual, whether it's my problem or someone else's, I never fail to learn from the MobileRead community - Thanks all!!

06-23-2019, 03:17 PM	#11
theducks Well trained by Cats Posts: 31,055 Karma: 60358908 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The Central Coast of California Device: Kobo Libra2,Kobo Aura2v1, K4NT(Fixed: New Bat.), Galaxy Tab A	The C:\Users\<your-logon>\AppData\Roaming\calibre is the (USER) settings The Library usually lives in you Username (logon) folder, along with 'Documents', "Downloads"... C:\Users\<your-logon>\Calibre Library Are you sure\your Library was not on some 'mounted' drive or partition?

06-23-2019, 05:36 PM	#12
BetterRed null operator (he/him) Posts: 21,725 Karma: 29711016 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney Australia Device: none	@Anabana - read post #9, in there I told you how to find where your library was/is. When you uninstall calibre it only uninstalls the software, leaving the %appdata%\calibre folder (which contains configuration settings, plugins etc) and library folders in place. BR

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